The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today remind us to live in our experience of the Holy Spirit to flavour and guide in Jesus Way.
The reading from the First Book of Kings describes the interaction of Elijah with the Widow of Zarephath.
* [17:1–24] The story of Elijah is in three parts. The first (chap. 17) describes how Elijah proclaimed a drought on God’s authority and how he survived during the drought. (1 Kings, CHAPTER 17, n.d.)
Psalm 4 is a confident plea for deliverance from enemies.
* [Psalm 4] An individual lament emphasizing trust in God. The petition is based upon the psalmist’s vivid experience of God as savior (Ps 4:2). That experience of God is the basis for the warning to the wicked: revere God who intervenes on the side of the faithful (Ps 4:3–6). The faithful psalmist exemplifies the blessings given to the just (Ps 4:7–8). (Psalms, PSALM 4, n.d.)
In the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus uses salt and light in His Sermon on the Mount.
* [5:13–16] By their deeds the disciples are to influence the world for good. They can no more escape notice than a city set on a mountain. If they fail in good works, they are as useless as flavorless salt or as a lamp whose light is concealed. (Matthew, CHAPTER 5, n.d.)
Vivian Amu (2018) comments that it is not always easy to see oneself as a preserving agent or enhancing agent, and it is not always easy for others to see us as fellow beacons of light and preservers of love for the greater glory of God.
So, let us come out from under the bushel, courageously walk out from the dark, sit up, stand up, let our good deeds be known — this world loses its flavor without us, children of God; it is dark without our light — our God given light. “You are the light of the world”, “you are the salt of the world”, “you are a city set on a mountain”, these should be our daily affirmations. Let us keep our heads up, straighten our shoulders, and make our voices heard. Let our light be seen by everyone for the greater glory of God. (Creighton U. Daily Reflection, n.d.)
Don Schwager quotes “The Light of Truth,” by Chromatius (died 406 AD).
The Lord has already called his disciples the "salt of the earth" because they seasoned with divine wisdom the hearts of the human race which had been made tasteless by the devil. Now he also calls them the "light of the world." For, illumined by his very own self who is the true and eternal light, they too become light within the darkness. For since he himself is the sun of righteousness, he rightly also calls his disciples "light of the world." Through them, as if through shining rays, he poured the light of his knowledge on the entire world. For by showing the light of truth, the Lord's disciples made the darkness of error flee from people's hearts. (excerpt from TRACTATE ON MATTHEW 19.1.1-2) (Schwager, n.d.)
The Word Among Us Meditation on 1 Kings 17:7-16 comments that through their faith, Elijah and the widow were able to support each other—Elijah as a prophet in hiding and the widow as a poor and neglected member of her community. And through their faith, they saw God work wonders.
God still performs miracles today, and sometimes he uses his people to bring them about. In fact, he may be inviting you to join him in his work. By reaching out to someone in need and giving a little extra even when you feel like you can’t, you just may be the miracle that person is looking for. And who knows? Maybe, like the widow of Zarephath, you’ll see a miracle unfold in your life as well! “Thank you, Lord, for the ‘miracle workers’ you have sent to me. Give me the grace to go and do likewise.” (Meditation on 1 Kings 17:7-16, n.d.)
Friar Jude Winkler discusses the connection of Elijah's encounter with the widow of Zarephath to the efforts to battle the priests of Baal. The Gospel wisdom sayings about salt and light are from the Sermon on the Mount as Jesus implores us to add zest and direction to our communal life. Friar Jude reminds us that good done in secret avoids building our ego and good done visibly demonstrates the goodness of God.
Fr. Richard Rohr, OFM, describes the Holy Spirit as the loving immensity of God’s presence within us.
There is an Inner Reminder and an Inner Rememberer (see John 14:26, 16:4) who holds together all the disparate and fragmented parts of our lives, who fills in all the gaps, who owns all the mistakes, who forgives all the failures—and who loves us into an ever-deeper life. This is the job description of the Holy Spirit, who is the spring that wells up within us (John 7:38–39)—and unto eternal time. This is the breath that warms and renews everything (John 20:22). These are the eyes that see beyond the momentary shadow and disguise of things (John 9); these are the tears that wash and cleanse the past (Matthew 5:4). And better yet, they are not only our tears but are actually the very presence and consolation of God within us (2 Corinthians 1:3–5). You must contact this Immensity! You must look back at what seems like your life from the place of this Immensity. You must know that this Immensity is already within you. The only thing separating you from such Immensity is your unwillingness to trust such an utterly free grace, such a completely unmerited gift. (The Immensity Within — Center for Action and Contemplation, 2022)
Courtney Mares, writing for the Catholic News Agency, shares how Pope Francis explained how to recognize the Holy Spirit’s voice on Pentecost.
“Whereas the evil spirit, on the contrary, pushes you to always do what you think and you find pleasing. He makes you think that you have the right to use your freedom any way you want. Then, once you are left feeling empty inside – it is bad, this feeling of emptiness inside, many of us have felt it – and when you are left feeling empty inside, he blames you, becomes the accuser, and throws you down, destroys you.” “The Holy Spirit, correcting you along the way, never leaves you lying on the ground, never. He takes you by the hand, comforts you and constantly encourages you,” he added. (Mares, 2022)
We contemplate the role of the Holy Spirit in opening our lives to be the salt and light in our relationships with others.
References
Creighton U. Daily Reflection. (n.d.). Online Ministries. Retrieved June 7, 2022, from https://onlineministries.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/060722.html
The Immensity Within — Center for Action and Contemplation. (2022, June 7). Center for Action and Contemplation. Retrieved June 7, 2022, from https://cac.org/daily-meditations/the-immensity-within-2022-06-07/
Mares, C. (2022, June 5). On Pentecost, Pope Francis offered advice on how to recognize the Holy Spirit's voice. Catholic News Agency. Retrieved June 7, 2022, from https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/amp/news/251454/on-pentecost-pope-francis-explained-how-to-distinguish-the-holy-spirit-s-voice
Matthew, CHAPTER 5. (n.d.). USCCB. Retrieved June 7, 2022, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/matthew/5?13
Meditation on 1 Kings 17:7-16. (n.d.). The Word Among Us: Homepage. Retrieved June 7, 2022, from https://wau.org/meditations/2022/06/07/406242/
1 Kings, CHAPTER 17. (n.d.). USCCB. Retrieved June 7, 2022, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/1kings/17?7
Psalms, PSALM 4. (n.d.). USCCB. Retrieved June 7, 2022, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/psalms/4?2
Schwager, D. (n.d.). Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations. Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations – Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations. Retrieved June 7, 2022, from https://www.dailyscripture.net/daily-meditation/?ds_year=2022&date=jun7
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